Wheezing

We’ve just had our first case of respiratory illness since Talia came home.

When she was discharged from KEMH, we were warned that her chronic lung disease meant that it was very likely she could end up back in hospital with some sort of respiratory infection. So we took every precaution the first winter, staying away from shopping centres and zealously avoiding people with colds. It paid off - not even a sniffle. This year she had a flu vaccination and avoided all but a few minor colds. So I guess we should be very happy that it has been 16 months since she came home before she actually contracted anything even slightly worrying.

Last weekend Talia started coughing, a nasty chesty cough, and by Tuesday she had developed a most impressive wheeze. Maybe not quite as bad as Darth Vader, but loud enough that I could hear her breathing from the next room, over the top of my husband’s electric shaver.

When I called my GP on Wednesday morning they said they were full for the day - but when I said I had a one year old with a bad wheeze they managed to find me a slot very quickly! The doctor thought it might be bronchiolitis, but said that our options were limited. I could try and administer ventolin via a spacer (something I could see Talia struggling against and hating) or if her breathing became more laboured, I could take her to PMH.

Fortunately Talia’s condition remained stable and although the wheezing continued another couple of days and the chesty cough is still with us, I didn’t need to rush her to hospital (thank goodness!) She was tired and not the happiest of little girls, but otherwise handled the week very well.

Now it is a waiting game to see if she develops a wheeze with future illnesses - a possible symptom of asthma - but fingers crossed, hopefully not.